


Terror of the Mererid

by Kelkat9



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Beach House, F/M, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Surfing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-01
Updated: 2018-10-10
Packaged: 2019-07-21 00:18:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16148588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kelkat9/pseuds/Kelkat9
Summary: The Doctor takes Rose for a holiday at a Welsh beach cottage to give them both a break from UNIT and an adventure just for them.  From the moment they arrive, the cottage proves more than it seems from quirky surfing decor to a haunting presence warning them of something more triggering memories both the Doctor and Rose would prefer to leave in the past.  Together they work at solving the mystery, delving into local mythology and finally putting to rest their own inner turmoil.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Hellostarlight20 for being my beta! All mistakes are mine though ;) This is based on an anon prompt on tumblr (surfing TenII/Rose and a prompt I saw circulating on tumblr about them investigating a haunted house)

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?” Rose looked up from her mobile, wind whipping her hair loose from her ponytail. “I know it’s not Cardiff. That’s further South.”

The Doctor grinned, inhaling the fresh salty sea air. They’d been driving for hours, talking about everything from their last consultation at UNIT, to London weather and Jackie’s continuous interrogation into their relationship. The Doctor tightened his grip on the steering wheel. Why did all the humans feel the need to constantly analyze and categorize he and Rose?

They were them. Doing exactly what they wanted and needed for themselves. He loved her and she loved him. Established, confirmed and sealed with an everlasting snog. And other things that heated his neck against the crisp breeze tugging at his hair through the open windows of their rented mini cooper. Blue of course.

“Llangennith,” he finally answered, the name flowing across his tongue. “Near Rhossili Bay.”

“And why are we going there in particular?”

A familiar warmth poured through him. One of the things he loved about her was how she always asked the right questions. Which might have lead to their current predicament.

Rose was often the UNIT go-to for anything that might be alien or that seemed beyond human normal. He, of course, consulted with her, but only in a limited fashion. To UNIT, at least. Pride raced through him that Rose’s brilliance was recognized on Earth the way he’d always known. 

However, consultation often meant being at UNIT’s beck and call at all hours of the day and night. The toll on Rose had been clear with her falling asleep at Sunday tea with her family or while riding the train home at night. Their lives had been nonstop the six months since they arrived back on Bad Wolf Bay. Constant dimension jumps had only been the tip of the iceberg. 

There had been a rigorous debriefing after their arrival home that still left his pants in a twist. Pain in the arse military regulations. He’d almost forgotten how grating those things could be. Not that Rose complained. And then they’d rushed into the next crisis, a downed space ship near Croydon. 

Of course, plunging into the investigation helped them find their rhythm, to have something to bridge the awkward distance between them after the metacrisis, and his other self’s untimely and painful departure. Still as Rose’s jaw cracked from a yawn, it was clear to the Doctor they both needed some rejuvenation and a break from constant running.

“Well,” he finally drew out and tugged at his ear at her pointed question as to why he’d chosen their destination. “Llangennith’s known for surfing.” He quickly inserted.

“Surfing.” Rose nodded and curled a few loose strands of hair around her fingers. “Got an itch to surf do you?”

“Could do,” the Doctor acknowledged, fighting back a grin at the real reason. “Llangennith sounded like a brilliant place for a holiday or, you know, a good place for the tertiary growth stage growth for the TARDIS when she’s ready. The fresh sea air might be good for her.”

Rose abruptly sat upright, nervously toying with her blue knit scarf.

“You didn’t mention that before. I thought she was doing good in her new tank?”

“She’s doing brilliant,” the Doctor assured. “But she’ll outgrow it in a few months. We haven’t really talked about what happens then.” He guarded his words, not wanting to push, but see what Rose thought.

“You want to move out of London then?” Her face turned into the wind, gaze hidden from him. He turned down a country road. The car bounced on the rough pavement.

“We don’t have to. The TARDIS could grow in London. Maybe somewhere closer to the Thames. I just thought the coast might be nice for a change of scenery and with less observation and worry about drawing attention.”

“UNIT’s not going to mess with us. I talked to them about this.” She turned toward him. “They know if they get in the way, it’s a deal breaker for you and me. Besides, I thought the parts you got from the archives were helping?” She tucked back in her seat, zipping up her blue leather coat.

“The archives and assorted collections have been very helpful and I appreciate that. It’s just—” He wiggled restlessly in his seat despite being on the road and on an adventure with Rose. “You work so hard and being there makes it easier for people to constantly call us in. We could work remotely here and we’re not that far from Cardiff. You know UNIT is still skittish about the exploded base. To be honest, so am I. Different universe but there’s still a rift there and not a stable one.” He glanced at her from behind his new mirrored sunglasses.

“True. I know Mickey used to make trips down and with him gone now...” Rose didn’t finish, just tugged at her seatbelt seeming lost in her thoughts.

“We don’t have to move. I understand if you want to stay close to your family and you love London.” He’d almost forgotten how she’d lost Mickey twice now. Rose was good at not showing it. A sudden guilt descended, drying out his throat. She learned from the best.

“Doctor,” Rose said in that soft way, punctuated by her warm hand squeezing his thigh which did wonderful, brilliant things…but inconvenient. “I was ready to leave my family behind for you. We don’t have to live in London. It’s just convenient is all. And I never really thought of living anywhere else. I’m just trying to understand why here and now.” 

Drawn to the heat searing through his new brown pinstriped trousers, he cradled his hand over hers. His fingers traced her knuckles, still able to sense her pulse and moods with the slightest caress of skin against skin.

“We could live anywhere,” he said, drawing out his words. “But I like the thought of the beach, away from the city and light pollution. We can study the stars better here. Like I said, Cardiff’s not far. And the family can come visit and enjoy the beach.”

“There’s aliens here aren’t there?” She patted his thigh and, a smile twitching the corners of her mouth. “Go on, admit it.”

“Rose Tyler, I am offended. Do you think I’d drag you two hundred miles from London to this quaint seaside community just for an alien adventure?”

“Yeah,” she said with a giggle. “So tell me about them.”

“No aliens, just a nice beach.” Rose snorted and glared. “All right, a beach with a dubious reputation and some fascinating energy signatures that appear to fluctuate and dip into the space/time spectrum and which may have influenced some brilliant myths about the sea, lost ships and mysterious deaths. The baby TARDIS would love it there. It might even be a good energy source to encourage growth. And she could map the stars so much easier.” He laid it on thick with a pout that melted Rose’s resolve every time.

Rose’s chest shook with a giggle. Always a good sign. It was the most relaxed he’d seen her. Except maybe post coital cuddling but nothing topped that. Sadly, it tended to disappear when one of their mobiles rang which happened too frequently for his comfort.

“All right,” she agreed in a less annoyed, more resolved tone. “Let’s check out the questionable beach and whatever not-alien thing is there that will probably be like alien orcas from the planet Oceana or some hybrid plankton that colonized the seaweed or something.”

“Rose, the water isn’t saline enough for colonies of Aarchaenan.” Rose barked out laughter and shifted as close to him as the center console allowed and rested her head on his shoulder. Very nicely triggering his hormones to flood his system with a tidal wave of lust.

A few quiet minutes of breathing deep calming breaths and Rose sighing into his neck, and they turned down another road. He’d arranged for them to stay at a historic cottage under the guise they wanted to buy it. Which they might, especially if what he’d read about it was true. No sense worrying Rose about that little detail.

#####

“Here we are.” The car skidded in the pebbled driveway. “Dylan Aldon Cottage.” 

The sun happened to disappear in ominous gray clouds just as he uttered the words. Brilliant timing and maybe a sign of an adventure to come. His feet tingled at the thought.

“Doctor, this stretches quaint.” Rose arched a brow at him glancing out the windshield at the beige and white two-story stone cottage with bits of green moss clinging to cracks in the mortar.

“Surely you jest,” he responded with a click of his seat belt. “Stone cottage built in 1862, original floors and fire place with an updated beach kitchen. It’s got a cellar, that will be perfect for the baby TARDIS.”

“You haven’t actually seen inside, have you?” Rose a, asked, rubbing her eyes before dropping her hands to her lap. “Does it at least have electricity?” She peered out the window. “I don’t see any wires or outside lights.”

“It comes with a generator and there are some solar panels as well. Self-sufficient, that’s this place. It even has its own cistern and well pump.”

“Please tell me it has an inside loo.” Rose gathered up her purse, a frown etched on her face as the wind caught the car door yanking it open.

“Oh, come on! Would I ask you to spend a few days much less weeks without proper facilities?”

“Meeromoff.” Rose climbed out of the car, and wrapped her scarf around her neck.

“That’s not fair. And it was Merrymoff. I didn’t exactly plan that enforced holiday in that castle,” he grumbled and climbed out of the car, wind tearing at his new brown coat. “That was a misunderstanding about where I landed the TARDIS and a completely different me,” he shouted at Rose as she trudged toward the door, arms wrapped around herself.

The Doctor grabbed their duffle bags and followed. He dropped their luggage, knelt to reach underneath a brown pot with dried and dead flowers before pulling out an old iron key.

“This me likes having a nice loo and hot water.” He shoved the key in the door frowning as it wouldn’t turn.

“God forbit we don’t have hot water and hair products.” Rose bumped into his side playfully, her hand skimming up his back to the nape of his neck.

He warmed considerably as her nails scraped against his scalp. One of the humany things he’d come to crave: Rose running her fingers through his hair. It had the oddest calming effect. He really must study it.

The door creaked open as if it, too, fell under the Rose Tyler effect. Oh, he liked that. Rose did have a way about her. Aliens, metacrisis and old creaky doors all fell to her charms.

“A bit stale.” Rose wrinkled her nose at the whoosh of air from within. 

“Just needs a fire started and we’ll be as warm as two humans in a rugged-but-comfy seaside cottage.” He ducked through the low arched doorway, carrying their bags, and pretended the interior was as he said. He refused to acknowledge that it was indeed a bit dingy, dusty and clearly abandoned for years. The creaky wood floor boards and sparse furnishings draped with white cloth added ambiance.

Rose’s loud but adorable sneeze only emphasized how they had stirred up said ambiance.

“Gesundheit. Did I ever tell you how that saying came to be?” He dropped their bags and caught the door, moving in the wind. He eyed the dark clouds. Some might say they appeared ominous. The Doctor saw it as a reason to enjoy a good snuggle near the fire and maybe his mind wandered to other warming things.

“Doctor?”

“Sorry, just absorbing the atmosphere. You can smell it, the old wood, feel the decades of life lived near the sea. That salty essence of…”

“The only essence I’m getting is old damp, drafty house. I might notice more if we had electricity,” she said with an inserted sniff. The light switch clicked as Rose flicked it back and forth. 

“The generator needs a kick start. It’s out back. I’ll just give it a bit of a…”

“Sonic?” Rose filled in with a tongue touched grin punctuated by another ah-choo.

“Bless you and I don’t need the sonic for everything.” He shut the door and nudged their bags with his scuffed-up trainer. “Got along a few centuries without it I’ll have you know.” 

He ducked under the low wood beamed ceiling and walked into the main living area, taking in dirt streaked curtain-less windows allowing dim light into the room. The hairs at the nape of his neck raised in a Time Lord Metacrisis warning: all was not as it seemed in the dreary cottage.

Even though Rose held rank and tended to do more arse kicking than him, a stubborn protective instinct rose to surface. He might be half-human but he was still half-Time Lord and no longer trusted the universe to not fuck with him. 

Everything looked, well, dusty, worn, not cozy and a little drab but safe. Boring too. Not at all what he expected from a house with such an interesting history.

“Aren’t you cold?” Rose rubbed at her arms, doing a bit of assessing of her own. He expected no less.

“Won’t be for long. Just look at that fireplace.” He waved his arm over to the grey stoned implement of fire and soon-to-be coziness. “They don’t build them like this anymore. I’ll get a roaring fire going and then check the generator.” He pulled out a metal bucket with kindling and frowned.

A sudden breeze seeped through his coat. Goosebumps raced down his arms and his fingers turned to ice. Not literally, although he would be fascinated with that. No, this sensation was more like his skin prickling until he shuddered and rubbed his hands together.

“Maybe you should focus on getting the generator going first.” Rose huddled near him, hands under her armpits and teeth chattering slightly.

“We do seem to lack anything more than meager kindling.” The lack of firewood was not his focus.

“We need to track down that breeze. Maybe a window’s open upstairs.” The Doctor eyed the simple wood staircase in the center of the house. 

He nervously tapped is fingers on his thigh scrutinizing the old worn wood for any sign of well, he didn’t know. Other than he hoped the steps were sturdier than the rest of the house. Rose cuddled into his arms which he wrapped around her automatically. 

This was more like what he had in mind. Huddling for warmth with a little investigating and mystery solving. Maybe a bit of naked snuggling later.

“You go do the generator. I’ll check out the window upstairs,” Rose murmured into his chest.

The cold curled around him again even as he wrapped himself around Rose. A tingle in the back of his mind mixed with a slight scent of ozone caused him to squeeze her tighter. He narrowed his eyes and sent the telepathic equivalent of a warning out. The Oncoming Storm had arrived and although intrigued, he still had a do not touch the blonde policy.

“I suppose it makes sense to get the generator going first,” he said with hesitancy.

“Yes, and then you can be my back up.”

“Back up for—” he drawled meeting the very pointed and pinning gaze of the Rose Tyler I so have your number Doctor look.

“This isn’t just a cottage. You said energy readings were off the charts. And something’s not right here. Even I can feel that. You already did your Time Lord thing. So now I do my UNIT thing while you work the tech. That’s what we do, yeah?” 

His Rose was always on point. And she knew him so well or them so well. No denying the universal truth, Rose and the Doctor, whether intentionally or not, often found trouble, friends and a good time usually in that order. Still, he couldn’t give in that easily.

“Isn’t just a cottage?” he repeated, his voice pitching up in an attempt at innocence. “I dunno, seems pretty standard for this area.” He glanced around the room. “Stone, wood beams, two story, fireplace, badly renovated back in the 1980s with rubbish furniture. Pretty standard for this area. I mean, sure there’s history here. It’s over a century old in an area with its own particular…”

He drifted off as Rose cocked her head and arched a brow at him even as she remained snuggled into his arms. “You’re not buying this are you?” he finished as she rolled her head and slipped her arms from around him.

“Nope.” She crossed her arms, clearly over his diversion.

“Fine, no one wants to live here because they think it’s haunted. But it’s not! There’s no such things as ghosts.” He mimicked her stance, standing tall but with a slight anticipation something would fly through the room to prove him wrong. A pang of disappoint slumped his shoulders when all the house did was creak in the gusty wind.

“Ghosts or not, there’s something going on,” she prodded.

“I did say there are some intriguing local stories. Odd lightning storms, vortexes in the ocean and your basic seashore mythology, all indicators this is a hotspot and one that should be watched to protect aimless tourists from wandering into a possible rift.” He tugged nervously at his ear before giving her the eye crinkling you-so-want-to-know-more look. Her lips twitched in response.

“Why didn’t you just say you were taking me to investigate a haunted cottage? Like I’d have turned that down?” She shoved at his shoulder.

“I wanted to surprise you.” Unable not touch her, his hands settled on her shoulders, squeezing lightly before tucking a few wisps of hair behind her ear. “It’s not like I can give you a new world every morning.”

Insecurities twinged in his gut. Sure, they’d reached agreements, but part of him still worried she missed their old lives. The itch for adventure still caused him to wake in the middle of the night and gaze wistfully out the window.

“I still want to give you the universe. Or at the very least, a nice adventure for just you and me.”

“I have the universe right here and the greatest adventure in the multiverse.” Her voice thickened and she yanked him forward until they bumped noses and that bit of excited twinge in his belly unfurled as his lips met hers. He’d never get over kissing Rose Tyler.

A few tongue curling, lip nips and she pulled away, both of them breathing heavy.

“You’re the only adventure I want. The only one I need,” she whispered against his lips, laying sweet, soft kisses to punctuate each word.

“I love you.” He uttered the words and they sank deep in his chest, enveloping both of them with deep meaning few could understand. 

Loss and a connection spanning universes bound them tightly, much more than even Rose realized. But he did. And he fiercely protected that connection. He’d never lose her again.

“I love you, too,” Rose responded and tugged on his lapels. “Now would you please go start the generator so we don’t freeze?”

“I am so domesticated.” He rubbed his nose against hers as a huge grin broke out. Domesticated and he loved it as much as he loved her. “Don’t irritate the ghosts without me. Watch out for the stairs.” He trailed his hands down her arms, fingers gripping her hands for one final squeeze before he glanced at the stairs. “And you, whoever you are, mind your manners.”

He wagged his finger in admonishment even as Rose rolled her eyes. A heaviness sat in the air as he marched out of the house toward the utility shed. Generators were easy. Keeping Rose safe…yeah that was a lot more challenging.

#####

Rose couldn’t not watch the Doctor leave, her gaze drawn to the way his coat flared around his legs as he turned and ducked down the hall to the front door.

The thud of the door shutting echoed in the unnatural quietness that followed the Doctor’s exit. Odd considering the floor boards squeaked. Rose shifted her feet and bounced to hear said squeak. A quick breath of relief escaped. She’d had enough silence and loneliness to last her several life times.

The chill from earlier settled in the room until Rose could see her breath. Unseasonable for early autumn. She missed the Doctor in the silence even as the windows shook in the wind. His manic energy carried its own quickfire way of warming her. The floor boards creaked. Rose hadn’t moved.

“Okay,” she drew the word out and surveyed the room. 

Fireplace, dark and with nothing but light kindling. Check. Still no electricity or lights other than what made it past dingy windows and curtains. Check. Furniture…. Rose swept aside the covers revealing two chairs in a god-awful worn seafoam green and a sofa in a matching plaid, wood tables and glass etagere with shells and assorted dried sea creature bric-a-brac. Yep double check for spooky seaside theme ripe for otherworldly invaders, dimensional haunts seeking an oceanside vacay or other assorted mythological seafaring creatures.

“Nothing good ever happens at beaches,” she muttered, thinking of two rather emotional and questionable events that had happened to her at beaches in this world. Granted, one did eventually end with her and the Doctor together but not without a few hurdles, shouting matches and long, tension-filled walks.

Unable to stand still a moment longer, Rose did what she always did with or without the Doctor. She poked around. Excitement flared in her chest with that jolt of adrenaline as she approached the wood stairs. Ghosts, weird energy readings, myths, legends, aliens, whatever, Rose could not contain her curiosity and a need to find answers.

“Hello?” She rested her hand on the wood railing. Each thud of her trainers on the stairs as she ascended caused more wood creaks and groans like the house itself was complaining. A giggle tickled the back of her throat at the thought. Wouldn’t that just be their luck. Sentient, grumpy house.

“I’m Rose,” she tried again. 

Rose stopped questioning her sanity at talking to air and seemingly inanimate objects ages ago. Even fellow UNIT people listened to her after a brass coat rack transformed into an alien just at Rose talking to it. Poor thing. The Illicium had crashed on Earth and gone into chameleon mode for a year, eating whatever people hung on it and starting rumors of thieves, ghosts and portals to another realm. 

But not to Rose. She sussed it out after observation, and a test of handing up her knit hat which the alien found delicious. A smile brightened her mood. That had been a good case and a happy resolution, helping fix the ship and getting the Illicium home.

Home. That word had a new meaning. She eyed the top floor hall, dark and dingy as the downstairs. Wind battered against the curtain less window at the far end. The Doctor wanted this to be home. But maybe something else already called it home.

“I won’t hurt you,” Rose continued, walking past a table with an old rotary dial black phone. “Me and the Doctor are just visiting. I know this house has been abandoned for a while. Must be lonely. We could talk if you want.”

BANG!

Rose jumped at the crashing noise. Heart racing, she walked toward the room where she heard the noise. The brass knob crystallized with a white sheen, freezing at her touch.

She should wait for the Doctor. Chills raced up her skin, sinking down until her bones ached. The window at the end of the hall darkened as clouds rolled in off the ocean in the distance. Dripping, like water splashing on the wood floor sounded. Quiet descended again, a muffling as if even the air didn’t move.

A squeaky, screech caused her teeth to grit. It was like that sound a window washer made when rubber rubbed against wet glass. Rose thrust the door open, her heart in throat, hands tensed and ready for…who knew.

Nothing apparently. Unless one considered surf boards, leis, ocean theme on steroids, a threat.

“Whoa,” Rose breathed out at the tiki hut-like vibe of a ceiling covered in palm fronds, ocean blue duvet with a fish design, a head board with more Gilligan Island bamboo theme and a wall mural of a wave with tiny surfers. A vibrant white and blue surfboard leaned in the corner.

“The Doctor did say this was a surfing area. So whoever you are, you like surfing yeah?” She blinked in the dim light, trying to look out of the corner of her eye for any shimmers or weird shadows that weren’t really shadows.

“It’s very tropical. Happy even, given the dreary weather.” She picked up a hula girl bobble, the smiling black-haired girl again giving Rose a joyous vibe. Someone loved this enough to keep it on a vanity.

That’s when she saw the mirror. The plastic bobble dug into her palm. Waves of chilled air tightly gripped around her chest until she couldn’t breathe.

Lights flickered on in a yellow glow from lamps behind her. Literally frozen and rooted to the floor, Rose stared at words etched on the frosted mirror. Her breath escaped as a force drew her forward, a desperate pounding in her head urging her to move toward the mirror. 

Fear and stubborn resistance flared, heating her neck against the cold until her hands shook. Rose clung to one golden telepathic thread in her mind. Doctor. Tears pricked her eyes as she fought, muscles aching when against her own will, she reached her free hand toward the mirror.

Her brain tried to process how her index figure plunged into an icy, reflective liquid surface. Whispered words, garbled and haunting, pounded in her ears. Water leached across her hand up her arm seeping into her clothing like a clammy grasp drawing her closer to the mirror. She couldn’t breathe, her lungs paralyzed.

“No.” The word stuck in her throat. The bobble fell to the table in a clatter. Rose fought against the way her finger inched further into the mirror drawing in her whole hand. Pin prickles of numbness raced up her arm.

“Rose!” The thud of the Doctor clambering up the stairs jarred her. 

“Doctor.” her voice sounded raspy. “In here.”

The moment the Doctor entered, the air in the room changed. The blue glow and buzz of the sonic appeared next to her as the Doctor’s arm encircled her waist yanking her from the mirror’s grasp. She blinked, slumping against him, watching the mirror solidify.

“I warned you not to hurt her.” The deadly, razor sharp tone of her very pissed off Time Lord, eased her from whatever the fuck just played scare the shite out of Rose.

“Something’s here,” Rose whispered, cradling her numb hand against her chest.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for the beta to Hellostarlight20!

Sonic gripped tightly until it felt like an extension of the Doctor, which it often was, he aimed it at the mirror on setting OmegaPrydion42. A lethal sonic piercing setting which he’d programmed after a nasty encounter with cyber rats.  This precise setting split anything he aimed it on, especially fragile, deadly mirrors.

But Rose needed him first.  He lowered his arm to squeeze her tight against his chest, a chill leeching into him from her.  His pulse raced with a mix of fear and anger. No power in the universe would stand in his way when he found Rose struggling in a frozen state, being taken against her will.  Dark alien rage, the kind that once controlled the Nightmare Child, the destroyer of star systems rose to the surface.

He had wanted light-hearted adventure for the two of them.  Not to thrust Rose into danger with some unknown entity attempting to take her or worse.  Telepathic resonance crackled around him subdued only as Rose shuddered in his arms, cradling her mirror-injured hand.  The maelstrom within could wait. He’d settle this score later.

“You’re freezing.”  He wrapped himself, and his coat around her, shivering at the cold water saturating her leather jacket.  He set his sonic to gently warm her damp, icy hand and cradled it close to him. “How did you get wet?”

“Not sure.  Just sort of happened when I touched the mirror.” Rose shuddered again but didn’t turn into his arms.  She was too intent on the mirror. “I…I heard a bang and walked in, and found the mirror covered in frost.  I don’t know why I touched it. I just felt like I had to.”

“Beware the Mererid.” The Doctor read, glancing around the room as he squeezed her slowly warming hand.  “Mererid, that sounds familiar. Welsh but who or what?”

“Yeah well warning or not, she or he seems to be a bit handsy in a suck-me-into-the-mirror way.”  Rose stretcher her fingers, clasping her hand around his, holding the sonic between them.

“I told you once mirrors were often more than just your reflection.”  His warm lips brushed against her cooler temple, before he slipped his hand from hers and activated the sonic to scan the room for things he hoped weren’t there.

“I remember.  Just never thought about it here.”  She turned sideways and wrapped a very chilly arm around his waist, still eyeing the mirror.  “Guess I should be worried about fireplaces and wardrobes too, yeah?” Her smile was strained and she didn’t relax, muscles tight as a spring, ready to run. 

“Mirrors can be deceiving.  They can be dimensionally transcendental and used as receptacles.”

“Like a prison.”  He squeezed his sonic until it warmed in his hand, avoiding answering her, not wanting to admit what he’d done in the other universe.  The macabre reminiscing tour into his choices could wait for another day.

“Not seeing any artron signatures.” He held the sonic up near the mirror.  “No transdimensional readings. Just…hmmm.”

“It’s not a mirror verse like in Star Trek or Buffy the Vampire Slayer?  Last thing we need is blood thirsty Doctor and Rose popping by for a psychotic takeover-the-world party.”

Amusement rushed to the surface until his grasp on the sonic loosened and he spun it in his hand.  Heat from the noisy radiators further eased the tension. One glance at how Rose bit her lip, side eyeing said possibly evil mirror and he was lost to the humor and adventure.

“Just to be clear, I love you.” He murmured the words, leaning close to her ear and squeezing her tighter to him to affirm not only his affection but that she was there and real.  “Your mind is a glorious thing and if you keep talking pop culture geek to me, we’ll be giving this house a proper orgasmic exorcism.

“You wish.” She turned in his arms, smile brightening the whole room.  “Remember warehouse surveillance and those Cybergod cult people who caught us enjoying a shag?  So not thwarting an evil whatsit half naked again. And I thought you said there weren’t ghosts.”  She tapped him on the chest. 

“One, that was a brilliant way to break up the boredom from rubbish surveillance.  C, calling it a cult was pushing it. Ten inebriated blokes do not make a cult and they didn’t even know how to use the tech they stole. And 4 no 3, shagging clears the synapses and is good for the cardiovascular system so we were already limbered up to jump out and stop them.  And what’s wrong with being half naked?”

“I thought tea cleared the synapses?  And I’m so not chasing ghosts without my knickers.”

A giggle tickled the back of his throat as he remembered Rose sprinting after said rubbish and shocked cult members.  But she had a point. A stodgy, protective and possessive prat inside of him locked down some of his spontaneity. Not sharing naked Rose was sort of becoming a rule for him.

“Tea is.  So is cuddling and various other Rose involved activities.  Speaking of which…you are still rather damp. Maybe we should get you—” Rose turned with a huff and glanced at the mirror.

“We still have this grabby, creepy mirror to figure out.”  She wrapped her arms around herself, her shoulders tense, proving to the Doctor she wasn’t as alright as she pretended.  “It’s not like we haven’t seen anything similar. Rifts in time and space and all that. Evil mirror verse could still happen,” Rose defended, much to his scoffing.

Rose planted her feet, stood tall, chin lifted and pinned him with her Commander Rose gaze. Nothing wound him up tight and heated like Rose exhibiting dominance.  He tapped the sonic on his chin as a sexy smirk emerged, evidence of her effect on him. She read him like a book.

“Doctor, no shagging in front of the evil mirror thing.”  She poked him in the chest at each word before casting a suspicious gaze back at said mirror and frowned.  “Even if the mirror unfroze itself.” Amorous intentions fled as he took in said dodgy mirror.

“Well that’s wizard,” he said slowly and moved closer to the mirror as Rose dug her fingers into his bicep. 

“Doctor don’t!” Rose commanded as he poked at the now perfectly normal and frost-free mirror. 

“Apparently, it’s not keen on me.”

“Well you did come in here all Oncoming Storm.”

“It attacked you.” He backed up next to Rose, noting she looked less pale and shivery. Again, his mood darkened and he gripped the sonic tighter as he faced the mirror.

“Whoever you are, no more mishandling Rose.”  He batted the sonic in the air before the mirror for good measure.  “We’re not here to hurt you. If you’re stuck somewhere, I might be able to help you, but only if you mind your manners.” 

Rose sighed and leaned into his shoulder, both staring at their reflections in the otherwise normal mirror.

“I think it’s gone.”  Again, he barely could contain a smile as Rose adorably squinted and wiped at her eyes.  “God, I look a horror, no wonder it tried to suck me into the mirror realm.” 

“You’re as beautiful as the day I said  _ run _ .”  Bonus points for him when her face lit up with a gorgeous smile.  So much better than the pale terror that gripped her earlier.

“Yeah?” she drew out, curled into his side.  “Nice someone thinks that, cause clearly the whoever here definitely wants to warn us away.  Maybe it’s not because I look like a drowned cyberrat.” She bumped his arm with her shoulder and tugged him down by the tie for a quick kiss.  “And thanks for saving me.”

“Promised each other forever, remember?  We should try and keep that don’t you think?”  His heart did a somersault as her lips brushed against his and her hands, now blessedly warm, slid up his shirt.

“We should.  So how about we keep our hands away from mirrors, even the shell-framed tacky kind.”  She inclined her head and he eyed said shells.

“Agreed.  This room does have a theme.  Could be a clue.”

“Yep, I think so too.  We aren’t sleeping here, by the way.  I’d say it’s otherwise occupied by our friendly mirror ghost.”

“There are no ghosts.” He again emphasized even as the tingling sensation like spindly spider legs crawled up his back.

“Maybe, but someone else is here,” Rose countered.  “Look at all the stuff in the room. It belongs to someone.”

“It’s a seaside cottage thus the theme.”  But deep down he agreed. Especially this room.  It had a lived-in feel even if it was tacky surfer.  He inhaled deeply in an attempt to amplify his reduced Time Lord senses looking for a sign.  Instead, humany nerves surfaced as rain pelted the windows and the wind howled.

“Doctor,” Rose said in that patronizing way when she was over his glib answers.  It wasn’t his fault if he had a gob and liked to talk out his theories and justifications for the unknown.  It helped him think and then Rose filled in the blanks of what he was missing.

“Seaside décor is what we saw downstairs.  Sea foam green, sand, shells and paintings of the ocean.  This,” she paused and waved a hand toward the bed. “Is surfs up meets  _ Moana _ .”

“They have  _ Moana _ in this universe? I love  _ Moana _ !” he said with a genuine enthusiasm.

“Surfer ghost cottage,” Rose reminded him, turning out of his arms to again face the mirror.  “And one that gave us a warning.”

“I’ll give you there was a warning.  As far as ghost, more like someone utilizing a conductive surface for communication from another dimension or transpatial location.”  He poked at the bobble head hula girl. 

“Alien?”

“Yes, right next to you,” he quipped and smirked as he ambled around the room, toeing worn brown flip flops aside and tapping at the blue and white streaked surf board propped up in the corner. 

“And I’m glad I’ve got my own personal alien so we can figure this out together.” Rose followed, pausing to look out the window.  “So it’s not alien. Could be some sort of tech, someone trapped or trying to scare us away from whatever he, she or it is doing here.”

“Hmmm.” The Doctor continued his perusal, smelling a blue throw pillow, plopping down and bouncing on the bed and again staring at the mural on the wall of the surfers.

“I don’t suppose you started that cozy fire or brought in our supplies.”  He looked over to see Rose rubbing her arms.

“Oh sorry!”  He bounded up out of the bed.  “Was a bit busy racing up to defend you and give my this world is defended speech.”

“Well how about we work on let’s warm up and eat snacks while we work out our strategy for ghost mirror and surfs up room.”  She tilted her head as he wrapped an arm around her, urging her out of said mystery room.

“Planning?  When did we start doing that?” he teased.

“Since this is our home, our world, and we’ve got to take care to keep our forever.”

“True.”  He slid his hand down her back, around her waist to clasp her hand, warm palm against palm.  “Boring but worth it.” He leaned down to meet her lips again, never tiring of that particular gesture.  Planning, he would agree to with his own brand of oops plans got lost, or burned or fell into the Void.

He stopped at the door, and looked back at the mirror once more.  The hula girl started to shake and he swore the mirror shimmered and solidified.  Maybe they did need a moment to plan and research. This might be one of those times where UNIT made it up to them for all those emergency calls.

#####

Rose wrapped the Doctor’s coat around her, curling her legs beneath her on the sofa.  Wine warmed her belly as the fire crackled and the chill from earlier finally eased. She wished the memory of her loss of control and that stinging sensation of ice in her veins could be erased so easily.

Her throat tightened as a flashback plunged Rose back into her memories.  Loss of control, darkness and a similar desperation squeezed around her until there was no fire or warmth. Thrust forward, she was smothered, strangled with a shrieking frigidity clinging to her skin before stumbling into another universe.

Her grip tightened on the stem of her wine glass as she fought back.  Rose clenched her jaw, her stomach a knot as she focused on breathing, in and out, in and out. She was Agent Tyler, the one who led this world to fight back against the Darkness. 

No mirror portal, or whoever was behind it, would control her. Rose visualized her inspiration, the center of her universe, the Doctor.  Forever wasn’t just a dream. It was theirs. She’d fight for it against UNIT, ghosts, aliens or whatever else tried to take it.

The Doctor plopped down next to her tugging her into his side.   Tension coiled around her even as she curled up to him.

“You all right?” He plucked the glass from her rigid hand and set it aside, immediately cupping her face, long fingers tracing her jawline.

“Yeah, just bad memories.”

“That’s not why I brought you here.”  Rose didn’t resist when he slid her onto his lap, wrapping around her as much as she did him.  “The mirror?” he asked in a warm, rough voice. She burrowed her nose into his neck inhaling, the clean linen scent mixed with tea and old books.  Nothing calmed her nerves like cuddling with the Doctor.

“Just brought back stuff I don’t want to think about.”

“Yeah, I understand that.”  Muscles unknotted as Rose relaxed against his shoulder and he slid his hands under her shirt, tracing circles on her back. 

“I’m sorry.  I know there’s still stuff we haven’t talked about,” she admitted. The understatement of the century. Both of them often awakened with their own nightmares. Neither wanted to do more than turn on the lights and cuddle.

“Plenty of time to talk,” the Doctor assured in a deep low, scratchy tone.  “Away from London, no interruptions, cozy cottage on the ocean. Well, except for the possible portal to another world upstairs.” He shifted, and the wine glasses clanked on the table, probably because he propped his trainers next to them. 

She raised her head to meet warm brown eyes that conveyed a silent understanding between them.  A happy sigh released and she rested her head on his shoulder.

“Something about that mirror was familiar,” Rose admitted.

“Human fairy tales often use mirrors filled with magic like Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, even Alice Through the Looking Glass.  They were based on some small amount of facts. At least in our universe.” He continued stroking her back and Rose did the same under his suit coat, across his now single heart.

“But this mirror isn’t filled with magic.  It’s real. And someone’s using it to message us or warn us away. I sort of feel it.”  She sat up, still on his lap and slipped the coat off as she reached for her wine.

“Because of the warning?” the Doctor asked, lifting up his own glass.

“No.” Rose swirled the merlot before enjoying the slow burn down her throat.  “There was like a murmur only garbled.” She cocked her head and gazed across the room at a painting of the seashore.  “I’m not sure why but now that I think about it, I think someone was trying to talk.”

“The human mind tries to rationalize what it can’t perceive in a normal physical world,” the Doctor reasoned. 

“Don’t,” Rose shifted off his lap, the sofa and stood before the fire.  “I heard enough of that during the Dimension Cannon. How I couldn’t possibly see the things I did.  But I did, Doctor.”

He was at her side before she could utter another word.

“They called the Void the Howling for a reason and it wasn’t the bone chilling absence of time,” the Doctor said. Rose didn’t resist his touch, the way he gravitated and fit into her side, his hand resting naturally on her hip.  “You don’t have to talk about it but if something in that mirror is similar to what you’ve seen, we need to deal with it.”

“No, it’s not that.  It’s more like…” She polished off her wine and set the glass on the rough wood mantel, nervous, fidgety and unable to grasp the right words.  “Feelings, it’s just a gut instinct.”

“Empathic connection.  Of course.” The soft firm tone of his voice comforted Rose.  She was so used to Torchwood or UNIT questioning her that to have the Doctor nod his head, accepting her very nonfactual assessment left her floundering for a moment.

“Empathic?  Like telepathy only with emotions?”

“You’ve always been empathic on the verge of something more.  I honestly thought I’d be teaching you the basics of telepathy until we—” He cleared his throat.  “Well, we probably need to start having that discussion. Reinforce your mind to protect you from wandering telepaths seeking a peek where they’re not wanted.”

“Thank you.”  She hurled herself into his arms.  Warmth, understanding and acceptance.  She loved those things about him. “So maybe someone used the mirror and latched onto me looking for help?”

When he didn’t answer, she found his eyes dark and fathomless in the dim light.  She didn’t have to ask him to elaborate to know he was worried about another, less friendly reason.

“You know, it might help if we had more information about the house and who lived here?” 

He snapped out of whatever memories plunged him into the abyss. “No one’s lived here in ten years.  It’s been virtually abandoned.” The windows shook in the onslaught of wind and rain in an eerie affirmation.

“Because it’s haunted?” Rose asked just as her stomach growled. 

“Dinner first.  Can’t have a good theorizing about the questionable mirror on an empty stomach.  Come on, I whipped up some marinara, fettucine and garlic bread.”

“Not just Defender of the Multiverse.  He can cook too,” Rose teased as he scooped up their wineglasses and they walked toward the small galley kitchen and the scent of oregano and garlic causing her mouth to water.

“How about we focus on Defender of my Favorite Tyler and solving the mystery of our soon to be home.”

“You really are set on the haunted, tacky beach cottage.”

“Spooky mirror, ocean, possible portal to another dimension and did I mention I detected a drop in air pressure and increase in ionic vibrations earlier? Nothing a human would notice, but enough to cause subtle changes in the environment.”

Maybe it was the promise of a hot meal or the wine.  Or perhaps it was how easily they sat down to dinner, knees bumping, at ease with each other.  Rose’s earlier panic attack fled, replaced with determination and a heart thumping anticipation of a mystery to be solved.

##################

Dinner settled both of them and the Doctor needed that after watching Rose recover from her attack.  An attack from more than just a mirror. He should be protecting her, slaying the proverbial psychological dragons that tormented her.  After all, a few of those were his fault. Or at least other him.

Then again, it wasn’t like he slayed his own dragons or allowed Rose to do it.  What a pair they made. That was why they needed this time away and a possible permanent move.  Adventure was the icing on the cake. New ground beneath their feet, a fresh start and a fertile place for the new TARDIS was just what the Doctor ordered.

That thought elicited a spurt of amusement.  First things first, sustenance, warm food in their bellies and some rejuvenation of mind and body.  One of the humany things he’d come to accept was the necessity and pleasure of a hot meal. Dinner, wine and Rose tended to calm the chaotic storm of his thoughts.

“So haunted cottage?” Rose pressed, humming as she bit into the crackle of crisp garlic bread.

“More like awash in intrigue,” he teased, twirling his fork in pasta.  “Like most seaside communities, this area has typical water-based myths and legends.  From merpeople, nymphs, sirens, spirits of those lost to the ocean, to sea monsters and aquatic deities.”

“Anything particular to this area?”

“Jaded and offended Merpeople taking the guilty to meet their fate in the deep sea.  Then there’s Lleu Llaw Gyffes, a sort of storm God who some of the locals offended a few centuries ago.  His vendetta is the fierce storms that afflict this coast. Or there’s always the standard sea monster hunting these shores.  It’s a bit of a mish mosh and slightly off from our Universe. Annoying that.”

“But the locals think this house is haunted.  How’s that connected to the beach? I mean I get that we’re near the ocean but there’s sand dunes and we’re on a ridge, not on the water.” 

“It’s a rental, a sort of guest house where visitors stayed to enjoy the ocean.  Lots of surfers as the room upstairs indicates, but there was a marine biologist who was a frequent visitor as well.” The Doctor waved his fork in the air making his point before scooping up more pasta.

“And you know that because?”

“The leasing agent liked to chat. Doris cautioned us to be careful on the shore.  Riptides and strange currents. Apparently, there’ve been an unusual number of drownings and people swept away the last ten years.  I looked up a few articles to get the scoop.”

“People who stayed here.” Rose nodded, set down her fork and leaned her elbows on the table.

“Are you tossing aside my brilliant dinner for Scoobying?” 

“You did not just say that!” Rose laughed and again, the whole atmosphere in the house lightened.  Laughter. There’s something to be said for a few effective chemicals released when one smiled. Rose was a tsunami of joy…most of the time.

“Well,” he tugged at his ear.  “Jake might be rubbing off on me.”

“He’ll be sorry he missed this.  He loves ghost stories. Jake’s a fan of that ghost hunting reality show.  Watching it is practically a sport in our division at UNIT.” 

A scowl and irritation immediately manifested in the Doctor. “It’s rubbish!  That’s not science.” 

Rose laughed harder, snorting down wine. 

“It’s not,” he petulantly insisted.  “What’s going on here is real. People gone missing, more drownings than there should be, stronger storms, tides way off and you saw the mirror.”

Rose nodded and ate another bite of pasta before asking him more. “So, the house is empty because people think the missing people are haunting it?  Is it the mirror or something else?”

“Doris wasn’t exactly forthcoming on that, but I gathered there are stories of strange chills and things went bump in the night.  Word got around and no one will stay here, not even the owner.”

“We need to talk to the locals and get the scoop.” Rose emphasized her sentence with literally scooping up pasta and sauce.

“The domestic approach,” he agreed warmly.  Rose tended to be better at this than him.

“We go to town in the morning and pick up supplies,” Rose reasoned.  “See what people say when they hear we’re staying here.”

“I’ll set up some monitors near the mirror.”

“You brought tech?” Rose asked and shook her head.  “Of course you did.”

“I have to check readings for the TARDIS.”  It was an honest answer. Sort of. He did need to get a handle on what was going on regarding strange energy fluctuations causing the atmospheric disturbances plaguing the area as well as any energy sources to determine if they could help with TARDIS growth and development.  Now, however, analyzing any such fluctuations also involved unraveling the mystery of this house and making sure said mystery didn’t hurt Rose. Not that she couldn’t protect herself.

“You weren’t just trying to distract me by talking about moving here?” Rose twirled her fork, brow furrowed.

“We don’t have to.  I meant that. We could solve this thing, whatever it is, and pop back to London.”

“And leave the kitschy surf cottage to someone else?” Rose arched her brow at him.  “Wouldn’t hurt to have a place at the beach and it might be a good deal with the haunted aspect.  You know how Pete loves making a deal. Might make him happy if he could do something nice for us. He’s been asking.”

A muscle twitched in the Doctor’s back. The dining area off the kitchen closed in around him. And the glass globe light flickered as the wind howled.  He wanted to buy this house for Rose, to prove he was more than capable of providing for her. Up until now, Rose had done everything for him. Which he was fine with except…a part of him wanted to prove he could do it.  Be domestic. Provide her with a home like he once did before their separation.

“Pete is so grateful.” Rose covered his tapping fingers with her hand. “He feels like we gave him a family he wouldn’t have had.  You gave all of us a second chance. He wants you to have the same.”

“I don’t do things for—” The squeeze of Rose’s hand, the warm pads of her fingers drawing up his wrist drove home her point.

“We can buy the cottage and let him do his negotiating thing.  It’ll make both him and Mum happy and especially if we move out here.  Make them part of it yeah?” 

No denying her brilliant point.  If this made Rose happy and prevented further Jackie interrogations, then he was on board.

“Why don’t we spend the night first, get our readings and suss out the unusual activity.  Don’t want to buy something that might get sucked into rift,” he suggested, lacing his fingers with hers.

“Maybe we should sleep in the car.”  Rose glanced around the alcove and focused on the kitchen with pots scattered across the counter. 

“It’s safe.”  He caressed his thumb across her pulse point until he drew her attention.  “I wouldn’t suggest staying if it wasn’t.”

“Okay,” she said slowly.  “Let’s clean up dinner, do a walk through and you put up your scanner thing.  I’m so knackered, I’d probably sleep through the apocalypse anyway.”

“Rose Tyler I would never let you miss an apocalypse.”

The connection, the warmth and mutual understanding settled between them.  They’d been through the end of the World, Universe and a lot in between. If there was an apocalypse, they’d do that together as well.

He hoped there wasn’t.  Then again, he eyed the dishes and winced.  Dirty dishes did qualify, didn’t they?


End file.
